ChefHangout is a genius use of Google+ Hangouts and could actually make money

In what’s probably the first attempt that I’ve seen to monetize Google+, a site called ChefHangout has a unique approach to cooking lessons utilizing the powerful Google+ Hangouts video conference feature.

Google+ Hangouts allow a group of people to have a video conversation at the same time, offering features such as camera switching when someone starts talking and screen sharing for showing what’s on your desktop. The service has been used rather well by musicians like Daria Musk, who doesn’t have to travel the world doing shows since she has adopted the platform and gained a sizable fanbase.

ChefHangout is a site where chefs can charge for cooking lessons and it sits on top of the Google Hangout product. The lessons are scheduled throughout the day and can cost upwards of $20 a piece. That’s not a lot of money when you’re getting an intimate and interactive lesson from a professional chef.

Put the chicken in the pot

When you visit the ChefHangout site you can navigate by types of dishes you’d like to learn to cook or make, or check out all of the chefs on the platform.

When you click on a dish that interests you, you’re shown when the Hangout will take place and how many slots are available. Each spot has a fixed price and I could totally see a popular chef or interesting dish filling up ten spots rather quickly. At $20 a pop, that’s not a bad business model to pursue for professional chefs with extra time on their hands.

If you’re not an aspiring chef or aren’t interested in making food dishes, you’ll find things like “Tequila Time with Jenny Kelley“, where you’ll be taught how to make a killer margarita and some history about tequila. The session costs $10 and it’s an hour long.

This site could also be a great way for chefs to get the word out about their respective restaurants and book ventures, as the profiles on ChefHangout provides links to all of the social sites where the chefs can be found:

If you’re a chef who would like to be featured on the site there’s a registration form to fill out and the site hand-picks the best entries.

If you’re in a part of the world where you can’t get out to get proper cooking lessons, this solution might be the best thing for you. I can imagine checking this site out if I plan on having a few folks over just in case I can catch a quick lesson on a great new appetizer or dessert.

Drew Olanoff was The Next Web's West Coast Editor. He coined the phrase "Social Good" and invented the "donation by action" model for online charitable movements. He founded #BlameDrewsCancer. You can follow him on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, or email drew@thenextweb.com